San Jose Sharks take left wing Nikolay Goldobin with first pick

SAN JOSE -- The Sharks made a high-scoring, Russian-born forward who has played the last two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League their first-round pick in the 2014 NHL entry draft Friday night.

But the selection of Nikolay Goldobin ended up sharing the spotlight with the announcement earlier in the day that John Ferguson, a front-office fixture the last six years as San Jose's director of pro scouting, was leaving to take a job with the Boston Bruins.

In selecting Goldobin, the Sharks got an 18-year-old prospect who has already posted big offensive numbers, totaling 38 goals and 94 points in 67 games last season with the Sarnia Sting.

"He's got great hockey sense, one of the smartest players in the draft," San Jose general manager Doug Wilson said. "He's got a skill set that can be dynamic, but it's the way he sees the game, the way he thinks the game, is historically what allows players to go from that level and be able to play at the next level with really good players."

At the same time, the 6-foot, 185-pound Goldobin himself knows he has to improve his defensive play to fulfill his hockey dream. His plus-minus rating last season was minus-30.

"I'm a playmaker — I can score, I can make a pass," said Goldobin, the top scorer on a team that failed to make the playoffs. "I should be more responsible in the defensive zone so I have a chance in the NHL."

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Sharks director of scouting Tim Burke sounded less concerned.

"It's the same with any kid that's offensive at that age," Burke said. "They end up playing a lot, they stay on the ice too long, their team needs them -- and I think that's something that will be addressed when he gets to San Jose."

The Sharks also liked the fact that their top pick is represented by one of their former star players, Igor Larionov.

Goldobin, who was forecast to be a late first-round or early second-round election, was the second-highest scorer among draft eligible players in the OHL.

An International Scouting Service report described him as a "a slick and crafty winger who seemingly can slide in and out of seams and holes with smoothness and deception. ... There may not be a better stickhandler available in this draft."

The Sharks targeted Goldobin, then worked out a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks that allowed them to move down in the draft to get him while adding a third-round pick. San Jose had been scheduled to select 20th but traded that pick and the 179th for the 27th and 62nd.

That gives the Sharks four of the first 32 picks when the NHL draft resumes at 7 a.m. Saturday for rounds two through seven, though Burke hinted that one of those picks could be packaged in another trade.

Wilson made it clear in the weeks leading up to the draft that he was not interested in trading his top pick because the Sharks are entering a "rebuild" phase, adding young talent as they take a step backward before taking two steps forward.

He also had hinted there would be changes in the front office, and the announcement that Ferguson was leaving to become the Bruins' executive director of player personnel certainly qualifies as that.

But Ferguson, who served as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs for four years before coming to San Jose, said Friday that his decision to leave the Sharks has nothing to do with the team he is leaving behind and everything to do with an expanded role ahead of him in Boston.

"There were other opportunities over the six years that did not make sense. This one very much did," said Ferguson, whose responsibilities will include oversight of both amateur and pro scouting as well as potential free agents. "It's a fit for me professionally and personally on many levels."

Wilson said that Larry Robinson, whose duties were expanded to include director of player development, will take over some of the responsibilities held by Ferguson, while existing staff -- Mike Ricci, Bryan Marchment and Dirk Graham -- will handle others. The team also announced the hiring of former player Niklas Sundstrom as a European scout.